dna exclusive: RTI is VK Singh's new weapon in fighting govt, secret report

Former Army chief General VK Singh plans to fight the allegations levelled against him by a secret army report through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

“Since the report concerns me, I am seeking a copy of it through RTI. I have every right to get it, if a media house manages to get it. If the government opposes it, I will take the fight to the highest level,” Singh told dna.

Singh has been in the eye of a storm after the report blasted the Technical Support Division (TSD) set up during his tenure.

The report said the TSD was used to carry out illegal operations like telephone tapping and for toppling the J&K government.

On the timing of the report, Singh said: “Firstly, I have mobilised a huge gathering of ex-servicemen. Secondly, it was a government ploy to divert attention from key issues.”

“For the past few days, the UPA government has been under pressure for its pro-US moves. It could have been a government ploy to leak such a secret report to divert media attention from the nuclear liability law,” he said.

The Manmohan Singh government has faced a lot of criticism for diluting the nuclear liability law, with the opposition terming it as a gift to the US companies on the eve of his visit to Washington.

Singh said that the army report on TSD was submitted to the ministry of defence in March 2013. It was then sent to the National Security Advisor for closure.

Calling the report “stupid,” Singh said if a three-star army general prepares reports on the operations of an intelligence unit, he does not have any right to be in the army.

Lt General Vinod Bhatia, director general, Military Operations, headed the three member Board of Officers, which presented its report to then defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma. Sharma is at present the Comptroller General of India.

“According to the media, the secret report talks about the TSD’s attempt to topple the J&K government. Why would I topple an elected government? I did not wish to become the chief minister of the state. It is hilarious,” Singh told dna.

“I am being targeted because I am against any wheeling-dealing in the arms business. There is a very strong nexus between arms dealers and bureaucrats, who are being heavily paid. During my tenure, I did not allow them to grease-palm bureaucrats to get unworthy weapons,” Singh said.

In fact, he also denied allegations that the TSD tried to block the present Army Chief General Bikram Singh’s promotion. Singh also rubbished claims that the TSD carried out “unauthorised operations”, without proper approval from the higher-ups.

“The TSD was raised after 26/11 with a mandate to carry out covert intelligence operations with a required sanction from the defence minister. The TSD was functioning like RAW. If somebody raises question marks over R&AW’s activity. I don’t have anything to say,” Singh added.